This invention relates to a coin counting device for an automatic vending machine, which can count coins of any denominations (hereinafter referred to as "a general coin counting device" when applicable).
In a conventional coin counting device in an automatic vending machine, coin detection pulses generated when inserted coins are detected separately according to the denominations are applied to pulse forming circuits. In each of the pulse forming circuits, pulses the number of which corresponds to the amount of money of the inserted coins of the respective denomination are formed. The pulses are counted by a counter to determine the total amount of money of the inserted coins. In the conventional coin counting device, the pulse forming circuits which form pulses the numbers of which are in correspondence to the amounts of money of the detected coins are fixedly set to the denominations of coins handled by its automatic vending machine. Accordingly, before changing the denominations of coins handled thereby, it is necessary to change all of the pulse forming circuits.